Chapter 1

After three years in prison, Rose Bennett went from the most radiant red rose in Riverside City to the most agreeable Mrs. Ford.

She no longer tore through the city over a hint of unfamiliar perfume on Nathan Ford. She no longer showed up hysterically demanding answers when he didn't come home all night.

Most recently, she saw intimate photos of Nathan and that woman trending on Twitter. The housekeeper asked what to do, and she said, "It's nothing."

Then she turned back to pruning the thorny roses by the window.

She had become a different person, swallowing everything in silence, whether it was Violet Summers's existence or the fact that Nathan had pushed her to take the fall and go to prison to protect Violet.

About half an hour later, Nathan came home.

He stood at the door, frowning slightly. His gaze fell on her noticeably thinner figure, and his expression darkened.

*****

Nathan explained, "Those hot searches, they're rumors spread by clueless paparazzi. I've already had them taken down.

"Violet sprained her ankle and couldn't walk, so I carried her home."

He rarely explained himself, but this time he did. Rose nodded calmly.

"I know." She glanced up at him, her voice as usual. "Violet's brother died saving you, so, of course, you should be good to her." A gentle smile tugged at her lips.

Nathan's expression faltered for a moment, his brows knitting together almost imperceptibly.

He'd already imagined all the ways Rose might react, crying, making a scene, clinging to him, or breaking down and demanding answers. But he never expected her to be so composed.

For reasons he couldn't quite explain, Nathan felt uneasy.

In his memories, Rose had always been unapologetically proud and unrestrained. She would shoot away any woman who tried to get near him.

She'd tug on his arm over and over, looking up at him and making him promise he'd only ever love her.

But with photos of him and Violet blowing up all over social media, Rose was surprisingly calm. She gave him an excuse before he could say anything.

Watching Rose tend to the roses, Nathan felt a strange restlessness in his chest. "I know you're still upset about what happened three years ago."

He stepped closer, pulling her into his arms, his warm breath brushing against her ear as he let out a helpless sigh. "Violet's all alone. If she really ended up in prison, it would destroy her life.

"But you're different. With me around, no one would dare mess with you."

His voice softened, gentle and almost soothing. "You've been through so much these past three years, Rose. Won't you let me make it up to you?"

"You're thinking too much," Rose interrupted him. "I'm exhausted. I don't want to talk about things that don't matter anymore."

As her words fell, Nathan was left speechless. Just then, his phone rang.

Rose glanced at the screen out of habit and stepped aside to be considerate, but her finger accidentally hit the answer button.

The next moment, a panicked shout burst from the other end of the line. "Mr. Ford, Ms. Summers somehow heard that now that Mrs. Ford is back, you don't want her anymore. She's threatening to kill herself."

Nathan's hand froze in mid-air. He stared at the space in front of him, wanting to explain, but Violet's frantic cries were already echoing through the phone.

He paused in silence, his hand dropping to his side. "Wait for me."

The door closed softly behind him. Rose scoffed under her breath and made her way upstairs.

She stared through the window as the car sped off, and out of nowhere, memories from years ago hit her hard.

That night, a sudden blaze tore through the place, thick smoke swallowing up the ballroom in seconds.

She'd always been terrified of fire, her whole body shaking uncontrollably. She tried to escape, but a falling beam trapped her.

People were scrambling for their lives, and Rose's desperate cries were lost in the chaos and flames.

As everything started to blur, she honestly thought, 'This is it. I'm going to die.'

But in the very next moment, Nathan broke through the flames, fighting against the panicked crowd, and suddenly appeared before her.

He pulled her into his arms and used his own body to shield her from the searing heat. "Don't be afraid. I'll get you out of here."

Rose's heart missed a beat. Her cheek was pressed against his chest, so close that she could hear the quick, unsteady beat of his heart.

That night, she was saved.

But some fires, once they burn deep in her heart, could never be put out.

So, when she found out her arranged marriage was to Nathan, she agreed without hesitation, her heart full of joy.

He treated her well, and at their wedding, he swore he'd love and protect her for the rest of his life.

But life struck without warning. His friend, James Summers, was shot and killed while trying to save him.

James, bleeding out on the floor, had only one thing to ask of him: "Please, take care of Violet for me."

Nathan agreed, but somewhere along the line, that care twisted into something else.

After that day, Violet was plagued by serious psychological issues. Any little shock could send her spiraling out of control.

At first, Nathan was fulfilling a promise, but before long, he found himself actively involved in every aspect of her life, always keeping an eye on her.

He'd remember her birthday and plan thoughtful surprises for her.

He'd keep track of her period and gently coax her into eating Acesodyne.

He'd remember exactly which cake shop she liked, and even if he were busy, he'd still go out in the middle of the night, crossing several blocks to buy her favorite cake.

Rose had argued and fought with him over this many times.

But he'd rub his temples, looking helpless as he tried to explain, "Violet is James's sister. James died for me, so it's only right that I protect the only family he has left in this world."

This went on for a whole year.

Until that day, when Violet hit and killed someone with her car and panicked, fleeing the scene. The only thing the cameras caught was Rose's license plate.

So, before the police arrived, Nathan cornered Rose against the wall. "Rose, take the fall for her this once."

With a careless request, Nathan cut away the last bit of love Rose had for him.

She was dragged off to jail, forced to take the blame, while the whole world called her a murderer.

A cold wind slipped in through the window, ruffling her long hair.

Rose took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and her hand moved to her belly. There had once been a baby there.

It was in her first month in prison, on the day the prison bully and her crew ganged up on her, that the baby was gone with a pool of blood left behind.

Rose could still remember that night. She held on, desperately pleading for someone to save her baby. But all she got in return was openly mocking laughter.

Nearby, someone sneered, "You really think you're still Nathan's sweetheart?"

It was only then that Rose finally saw things clearly.

In this game of three, she was already the loser.

The sudden notification on her phone snapped Rose out of her memories. She glanced at the photo on her screen: Nathan had his arm around Violet's waist, a smile lighting up his face.

Rose paused for a moment, but her gaze didn't linger.

Instead, her attention shifted to the pale blue diamond necklace resting against Violet's neck.

That necklace was her mother's heirloom. It was the sole reason she came back.